1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an IC tag administration device, a robot including the IC tag administration device, and an IC tag administration method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a noncontact IC tag is put into practical use. Since data is read/written from/to the noncontact IC tag via electric waves in the noncontact state, it is expected in the future that the noncontact IC tag is attached to various products and the attached IC tag is used for solid identification of the product in the distribution thereof.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-30150 (Patent Document 1) discloses a product registering system, in which a product is registered by using a radio frequency identification tag attached to the product and thus shoplifting is prevented by the radio frequency identification tag.
The product registering system disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-30150 operates as follows.
(1) The radio frequency identification tag stores product information such as a product code specific to each product sold in a shop, and is attached to the product.
(2) Sales data of the radio frequency identification tag of the product bought by a customer at a counter is registered.
(3) A command for clearing product information is sent to the radio frequency identification tag, thereby clearing the product information from the radio frequency identification tag.
(4) A shop assistant detaches the radio frequency identification tag attached to the product.
(5) The radio frequency identification tag is sensed at the exit of the shop and, if the product information of the radio frequency identification tag is included, an alarm sound against the shoplifting is generated.
On the other hand, the data is read/written in the noncontact IC tag in the noncontact state. Therefore, there is a problem that another person may steal/obtain/sense information of the IC tag and grasps the individual customer's information such as his things or tastes. By the same token, the IC tag is detached from the product in the shop or the information of the IC tag is erased, when a consumer purchases the product. However, individuals may effectively use the information of the IC tag in many cases, and therefore the detachment of the IC tag or erasure of the IC tag contents is not preferable for such an application.